Social Democrats win political runoffs in Lithuania

(ANSA) - VILNIUS, OCT 28 - The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (SLP) won the general election ballots in Lithuania, taking 32 of the seats allocated under the uninominal system. In second place came the Patriotic League (Lp) of outgoing premier Ingrida Simonyte (10), followed by the centrist movement "In the Name of Lithuania" (Inl) of former prime minister Saulius Skvernelis (6), the populist movement "Dawn on Nemunas" (An) (5), the League of Liberals (Ll) of Parliament Speaker Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen (4), and the League of Greens and Peasants (Lvc) (2). In contrast, one seat each goes to Freedom and Justice (Lg), the Electoral Cartel of Poles of Lithuania (Cepl), and the far-right movement National Grouping (Rg). Based on the seats allocated today and those allocated two weeks ago under the proportional system, the new parliament in Vilnius will be dominated by the Psl, which can count on as many as 50 seats out of 171 total. In second place will be Lp with (27) followed at a distance by An (19), InI (14), Ll (11), Lvc (8) and Cepl (5).
    One seat each will fall to Lg and Rg. According to tonight's statement, Psl will try to form with Inl and Lvc a government coalition at the head of which should be Social Democrat MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute. Consultations for the formation of the new government coalition will begin tomorrow morning. (ANSA).